Latest Latino Policy & Issues Briefs

Mexican Americans and Education

Edward E. Telles and Vilma Ortiz

No. 19, June 2008

In this brief the authors conclude that Mexican Americans' years of education are not increasing with generation status, which has important implications for the assimilation of Mexican Americans and for their future socioeconomic status.

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Mexican Americans and Integration and Segregation

Edward E. Telles and Vilma Ortiz

No. 20, June 2008

This brief offers evidence that although the social interaction of Mexican Amerians with other groups has increased with each generation, in accord with the predictions of assimilation theory, residential and marital integration is slow.

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Mexican American Culture and Language

Edward E. Telles and Vilma Ortiz

No. 21, July 2008

The authors conclude that Mexican Americans retain strong elements of their ethnic culture, despite significant linguistic assimilation and preferences for music and religion and attitudes toward gender roles that are shifting toward those that are predominant in the United States.

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These three Latino Policy & Issues Briefs conclude a series of five briefs generated by the Mexican American Study Project (MASP), a research project based at UCLA. In 1965–66, MASP project teams interviewed Mexican Americans living in Los Angeles and San Antonio; in 1997–2000, Professors Edward E. Telles and Vilma Ortiz re-interviewed the original participants, plus two of their adult children. The two surveys provide data for a systematic analysis of how well Mexican Americans are being absorbed into the predominant culture.

Other measures of assimilation are explored in CSRC Policy and Issues Briefs Nos. 17 and 18, which are listed with other previous issues.

All previous issues of the Latino Policy & Issues Brief are available in print and PDF